“To our youths: we will support you in chasing your rainbow, raising your fullest potential & cheer you on every step of the way,” said Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on the social network X this morning, following his speech at the inaugural Youth Policy Forum Dialogue yesterday.
Urging the youth to become proactive participants in taking Singapore forward, the prime minister wrote: “You can do something too for your fellow citizens, our nation — contribute to causes you care about & take steps to shape the society you want to see.”
In a related post, PM Wong said: “There are many ways to contribute, such as through the youth panels by @NYCSG (National Youth Council Singapore) on financial security, jobs, sustainability and tech. And there will be many more opportunities and platforms to make a difference. So let’s come together and shape a better Singapore!”
Speaking at the inaugural Youth Policy Forum Dialogue yesterday, the prime minister referred to his recent speech at the Singapore National Day Rally. He said, “…A key focus in my speech last week was about refreshing our Singapore Dream. I think we have reached a stage where many Singaporeans, young and old, feel that we can move to a different path in our next bound. What would this new path entail?”
Elaborating on that question, he said, “Based on the ‘Forward Singapore’ exercise, which we had conducted earlier, where we listened [to] and engaged [with] many Singaporeans, young and old, I think there is a collective sense that we want a refreshed Singapore Dream. A Singapore where everyone can find their own path and be the best possible version of themselves. A Singapore where we can all flourish and thrive in our own ways, on our own terms. Ways that are less prescribed and more open. And I think that resonates with many Singaporeans.”
The young people of Singapore, said PM Wong, could “play a key role in shaping this new future” for themselves. Every young Singaporean was unique, he added.
Each one of you has different abilities and talents. There is no need to compare [yourselves] with one another. There is no need to feel like, ‘This person did this and, therefore, I must feel [the] pressure to also do the same thing.’ Because really, we all have different abilities, different strengths, different learning journeys as well. Everyone should feel the freedom, the space to find your own path in life. And then to work hard, excel, strive and be the best that you can be in whatever you choose.
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong
Those with that can-do mindset, setting the goal of excellence in their chosen field, can expect full support from the Singapore Government. “It can be arts, it can be sports, you want to be a researcher, you want to be in business, whatever it is… we help you to develop, grow and be the best possible version of yourself,” said PM Wong.
“We want to encourage all of you to chase your rainbow, and we will be there to support you and cheer for you every step of the way. So that is for you,” he said.
However, life was not only about advancing oneself, PM Wong told the Singaporean youth audience members — that was not the way to lasting happiness.
“We will never be content if it is all about ‘me, me, me’, because ultimately, fulfilment comes through us serving a higher purpose and a greater calling,” he said.
“The second part of this refreshed Singapore Dream is about what we can do for our fellow citizens, for our society and for our country. What can all of us do for Singapore and our fellow Singaporeans?” asked the prime minister.
There, too, he said, the Singapore Government wanted “to provide more opportunities for young people” to do “something concrete, practical and to be able to play a role in shaping the future of Singapore”.
In his speech, PM Wong outlined some of the platforms set up to engage the youth of Singapore and to enhance their role in nation-building, such as Youth Panels.
“The [Youth Panels] revolve around four topics which young people care about — financial security; jobs; sustainability; and tech. And these are important topics. They have drilled down into key questions, and they importantly come up with recommendations which the government will consider very seriously,” he said.
Close to the conclusion of his speech, the prime minister said that “at the end of the day, we should feel happy that what we have in Singapore is very precious”, because around the world, “there are societies facing far more challenges than what we have here in Singapore”. That did not mean things were perfect in Singapore, and it did mean that things could get better, he said.
Exhorting the audience to do more, PM Wong said, “While we are blessed, we should not be complacent. We should not rest on our laurels. We should keep on striving and wanting to make Singapore better. And that spirit of striving for excellence [not just] for ourselves, but also for our fellow citizens and for our country, that spirit is what keeps Singapore going.”
